TEMPE, Ariz. -- Head Coach Herm Edwards and his 2019 Sun Devil Football team gathered at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn in Paradise Valley on Sunday evening to celebrate another successful season with the program's annual Awards Banquet.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was named Frank Kush Most Valuable Player, among other honors that were handed out on the evening. Quarterback Jayden Daniels took home Danny White Offensive Most Valuable Player honors, with defensive back Kobe Williams receiving the Mike Haynes Defensive Most Valuable Player Award.
A full listing of the team's honors for the evening can be found below.
Frank Kush Team MVP, John Jefferson Outstanding Receiver Award – Brandon Aiyuk
Captain Award – Kobe Williams
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was named Frank Kush Most Valuable Player, among other honors that were handed out on the evening. Quarterback Jayden Daniels took home Danny White Offensive Most Valuable Player honors, with defensive back Kobe Williams receiving the Mike Haynes Defensive Most Valuable Player Award.
A full listing of the team's honors for the evening can be found below.
Frank Kush Team MVP, John Jefferson Outstanding Receiver Award – Brandon Aiyuk
- Recorded 1,192 receiving yards this season, the fifth-most in ASU single season history and he is within 18 of fourth and 56 of third.
- Second in the FBS in yards after the catch with 710 while his 10.9 yards after the catch per reception are the 12th-most nationally. He was first in the Pac-12 with 3.04 yards per route run on the season.
- Currently 8th nationally and 2nd in the Pac-12 with 1,192 receiving yards on the year while his 99.3 receiving yards per game are also 13th in the FBS and second in the league.
- Six of his eight touchdown receptions in 2019 have been for more than 30 yards (77 yards vs. Kent State, 53 yards vs. Colorado, 40 yards vs. WSU, 86 yards vs. WSU, 33 yards vs. WSU, 81 vs. ORE).
- One of just three receivers with two 80+ yard receiving touchdowns this year (Arkansas State's Omar Baylesss and Louisville's Chatarius Atwell). His six catches over 50 yards are second in nation while his nine 40+ yard catches are third and three 70+ grabs are second. His 12 catches over 30 yards are good for sixth.
- His 196 total receiving yards in the Washington State contest with the 11th-most in Sun Devil history.
- When quarterbacks targeted him, they recorded a 133.9 NFL QB Rating this season, which was good for 10th in the country.
- Currently 6th nationally and first in the Pac-12 in all-purpose yards at 155.83 per game – the most for any wide receiver in the country.
- Went over 2,000 all-purpose yards (2,725) in his career at ASU despite being in Tempe for less than two full seasons. Should he reach the 3,000 all-purpose yard milestone, he would join Marion Grice as the only two-year players in ASU history to accomplish the feat.
- Racked up 1,870 all-purpose yards this season (sixth nationally) on just 94 total plays (19.9 yards per touch, which is fourth nationally). The five players ahead of Aiyuk are all running backs and each has at least 245 total touches this season.
- Among the Top-15 players nationally in total yards, no other player is within 8 yards per touch of Aiyuk's 19.9 tally (Maryland's Javon Leake at 11.3, all others below 10.0).
- The only player in the country to record at least 200 yards on both punt (226) and kick (446) returns. His 226 punt return yards are 11th in the country.
- At 1,870 all-purpose yards this season, he is fourth in ASU history and within 195 yards of Wilford White's long-standing school record of 2,065 set back in 1950.
- Nationally recognized as one of the top freshmen in the country, regardless of position.
- Became the first true freshman quarterback in program history to start the first game of the season.
- At 2,748 passing yards, he has easily surpassed Rudy Carpenter's previous freshman school record of 2,273 yards. Daniels total is 13th in school history with the bowl game remaining.
- Became just the third freshman in ASU history to win his first career start, joining John Walker (1984) and Dennis Sproul (1974) as the only other QB's to win their first career starts as freshmen.
- Only 12 times in ASU history has a freshman quarterback recorded a 300+ yard passing performance, of which Daniels now has five. His five 300+ yard performances are tied with Andrew Walter (2004) and Rudy Carpenter (2005) for the most in a single season in ASU history.
- Among FBS players, he sits in the Top-30 in passing efficiency (19th, 153.5), passing yards per game (28th, 249.8), and total offense (24th, 278.1)
- Currently 15th nationally and second in the Pac-12 in pass yards per completion (14.24) while his 8.86 yards per pass attempt are 13th in the FBS and third in the league.
- He has a 106.2 NFL quarterback rating, good for 22nd nationally, while his 153.5 NCAA passing efficiency is 19th.
- Among quarterbacks with at least 200 attempts, he is tied for the second-fewest interceptions nationally behind Ohio State's Justin Fields with just two – one of which coming on a half-ending Hail Mary attempt against Utah.
- Hasn't thrown an interception in 129 consecutive pass attempts, tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the nation.
- Currently 8th in the country with 15 pass completions over 40 yards this season and 12th in the FBS with 24 passes over 30 yards. His eight completions over 50 yards are 10th.
- 11 of his 17 touchdowns passes this season have gone for at least 25 yards (64.7 percent).
- Has been exceptional on third downs this season, with his 744 passing yards on third downs good for 17th in the country (despite missing a game). His 160.13 passer rating on third down is 25th nationally.
- Despite missing a game, he has accounted for 784 passing yards in the fourth quarter of games, good for 10th nationally while his 34 passing first downs are also 10th. He has recorded 9 fourth quarter passing touchdowns (fourth nationally) to one interception. His 183.84 QB efficiency rating in the fourth quarter is 12th in the country.
- Completed 11 passes of 25+ yards in the fourth quarter of games (tied for 2nd nationally) and his 19 pass completions over 15 yards in the frame is tied for 11th.
- While under pressure this season, he has posted the 6th-highest NFL passer rating of any quarterback in the FBS at 97.2. For reference, the national average is 68.6.
Captain Award – Kobe Williams
- Graded as the 8th-highest defender in the league, regardless of position with a score of 82.2. He is the 30th highest graded corner overall in the country and the 27th-highest graded corner in coverage specifically (82.3)
- Has only been thrown at just 34 times this season – the 18th-lowest total among corners in the country. He has been targeted just once every 9.1 snaps in coverage this season, 11th-lowest among the nation's corners.
- Has allowed just 198 yards in coverage thus far, the 16th-lowest total among the nation's corners. His 0.64 yards allowed per coverage snap is also 16th
- He has allowed just 18 receptions this season, which is the fewest in the Pac-12 and 24th-fewest nationally. Williams' one reception allowed for every 17.1 snaps played in coverage is second in the Pac-12 and 27th nationally.
- Forced 10 incompletions on the season, fifth among the league's cornerbacks while his 15 defensive stops are eighth among the league's CBs.
- One of the leaders of the defense, providing a veteran presence in the young Sun Devil secondary.
- Reliable and consistent competitor, earning the start in 11 games this season, finishing his career with 38 starts.
- Recorded 51 tackles in addition to forcing and recovering a fumble during a standout senior season.
- Ended the regular season second on the team with 10 pass breakups.
- Played his best when his team needed him the most, breaking up three passes while also collecting six tackles, including a critical fourth-down stop in the upset win over No. 6 Oregon.
- Finished the season strong, compiling 31 tackles over the final five games.
- The senior was selected as a captain by his teammates.
- For the second consecutive season, Eno Benjamin was a key part of the Sun Devil offense and takes home the Wilford White Outstanding Running Back Award.
- The junior is 4th in the Pac-12 with 10 rushing touchdowns this season. His 12 total touchdowns are fifth in the league and 37th nationally. He is 4th in the league with 119.17 all-purpose yards per game.
- Benjamin has continued to do his part to make people miss this year, forcing 72 missed tackles this season - a total tied for 10th nationally among running backs. He is 22nd nationally with 739 yards after contact this season (68.2 percent of his 1,083 rushing yards).
- He has rushed for 19 first downs this season when the team is facing third down - tied for 12th nationally among FBS running backs.
- Benjamin has helped rally the offense when attempting to come back, recording 22 rushing first downs when the team is trailing by 7 or fewer points - the second-highest total nationally - while his seven rushing touchdowns while trailing by a touchdown or less are first in the FBS and his 354 yards in the situation are 8th nationally.
- He has played 341 snaps in passing routes this season, the second-highest total among FBS running backs while his 56 targets are fourth. He has been targetted on 21.6 percent of ASU aimed passes (balls not thrown away, spiked or batted) - the 15th-highest percentage of running backs nationally.
- His 347 receiving yards this season are sixth among all FBS running backs and his 42 receptions are tied for fifth in the nation.
- The junior running back was voted an offensive captain by his teammates.
- Benjamin became the 20th Sun Devil in program history to reach 2,000 rushing yards with his effort against Colorado. The junior has 2,867 rushing yards in his career and is one of just five three-year players to find themselves in the 2,000-yard club (Mario Bates, Ben Malone, Art Malone and Woody Green).
- Benjamin also joined the all-purpose 3,000-yard club this year (3,620) as he eclipsed the 3K all-purpose yards mark for his career against Utah.
- He has 2,867 rushing yards in his career and now sits in seventh-place on the school's all-time rushing list. His 576 rushing attempts are the sixth-most in school history.
- He carried the ball a school-record 300 times in 2018 and has already compiled 253 rushing attempts this season, the third-highest total in program history.
- Benjamin has recorded 15 career games (six in 2019) with at least 100 rushing yards - good for 4th in program history. He also has 18 career games in which he reached century mark in total all-purpose yards.
- He has at least one touchdown (rushing or receiving) in 18 games in his career. He has 27 career rushing touchdowns, only one shy of cracking the Top-5 in program history despite receiving the majority of his snaps in just two seasons. The junior has 32 total touchdowns (27 rushing, 4 receiving, and 1 blocked return) in his career.
- The senior was voted as a captain by his teammates for the second consecutive year.
- Started all 38 games of his career consecutively, starting every game from the beginning of his sophomore season.
- Anchor of an offensive line that paved the way for running back Eno Benjamin's second consecutive 1,000-yard season, the first time a Sun Devil running back had accomplished the feat since the 1970s
- A key reason for the immediate success of freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels, helping call the protections and organize the rest of the offensive line.
- Showed his versatility and selflessness by briefly moving to left tackle, before finishing the year as one of the top centers in the conference.
- Credited with just one sack allowed this season, tied for 29th among FBS centers and second in the Pac-12.
- The sack excluded, Cabral did not allow a QB hit this season – one of just 17th centers in the FBS to lay the claim.
- His 10 total QB pressures allowed this season were the 25th-lowest among FBS centers and third-fewest in the Pac-12.
- Finished with the 14th-best run-blocking efficiency score among FBS centers with a positive impact on 13.6 percent of ASU's run snaps – 4.5 points higher than the national average.
- Received Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week recognition on September 30th.
- Thrived in an increased role on the defensive line, earning 11 starts at defensive end
- Recorded 68 tackles this season, the second most for a Sun Devil defensive lineman since 1990 behind only Shante Carver (79 in 1993).
- His 37 defensive stops this season are lead the nation's defensive interior linemen – two more than any other lineman in the nation.
- Lole has been credited with just a single missed tackle this season, tied for fourth among FBS defensive linemen.
- Checks in as the 16th-highest graded player in the Pac-12 with a score of 75.4 – the second-highest score among edge defenders in the league. His 81.5 score on running plays this season is 39th among edge defenders nationally.
- The sophomore has the 12th-highest positive run impact score in the country at 23.6 percent among players graded as interior linemen (percentage of run defense snaps where player earned a positive grade from Pro Football Focus).
- Led the team with five sacks and finished second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss.
- Controlled the line of scrimmage in the Sun Devils upset road win over No. 18 Michigan State, collecting eight tackles, a tackle for loss, and a sack.
- Consistent performer who showed up in every game, as he was credited with at least a half a tackle for loss in 10 of 12 games this season.
- Recorded a career-high two tackles for loss and also recovered a fumble at No. 13 Utah.
- Came on strong as the season went on, making 20 tackles over the final three games.
- Earned Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week honors on September 16th.
- Enjoyed a breakout senior season, wreaking havoc in opposing backfields.
- Led the team in tackles for loss with 11 – the most among non-edge rushing linebackers in the Pac-12 – and finished with 57 total tackles.
- Finished eighth among Pac-12 linebackers with 36 defensive stops this season.
- Part of five sacks this season, tied for first among Pac-12 linebackers.
- In coverage, opponents had the fifth-lowest NFL QB rating against Kearse-Thomas out of all linebackers in the league and the 10th-lowest complete percentage in the league.
- Among all linebackers and edge defenders in the Pac-12, he has recorded the 16th-best positive run impact percentage at 13.6%.
- Dominated in the season opener against Kent State, compiling a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while also forcing a fumble in the 30-7 victory.
- Recorded a sack while also securing his first-career interception at a crucial time, picking-off Justin Herbert in the fourth quarter of the Arizona State's upset victory over No. 6 Oregon.
- Posted a career-high 11 total tackles against Colorado and Oregon State.
- Collected at least one tackle for loss in four of his last five games.
- Big-play threat that developed into one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the conference.
- Made a jump from his sophomore to junior year thanks to hard work in the weight room and in practice.
- Hauled in a touchdown pass in four straight games in the back half of the season and accounted for two touchdowns in three of those outings. He had seven touchdowns over the four-game span (UCLA-USC-Oregon State-Oregon). Prior to the UCLA game, he had five total receiving touchdowns in his previous 30 career games to that current four-game stretch.
- In those four games, he has made 16 catches for 387 yards (24.2 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns.
- His 125-yard performance in the upset victory over No. 6 Oregon was the fifth 100+ yard game of his career.
- The epitome of a deep threat, 24 of Darby's 58 career catches (41%) have gone for 20 or more yards.
- Darby's 21.32 yards per reception this season is third in the country and second among Pac-12 receivers.
- Frank Darby has continued to climb the Pac-12's offensive grading chart, check in as the Pac-12's ninth-highest graded wide receiver (72.0) while also doing his part off the ball in recording the 12th-highest score in the FBS among receivers as a run blocker (82.3).
- When targeted this season, Darby posted a 143.4 NFL quarterback rating (28-47 catches for 597 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions) – good for the 12th-highest total among all wide receivers nationally.
- Excelled in an increased role on the defense line, earning the start at defensive end in each of the first 10 games.
- Compiled 24 tackles, five tackles for loss, and two and a half sacks during a productive senior season.
- Recorded the sixth-highest grade in the Pac-12 (80.0) on run defense from Pro Football Focus among all FBS players classified as edge defenders (outside linebackers and defensive ends) – ranked among the Top-50 in the category nationally.
- Recorded the highest defensive positive run impact score among defensive ends in the Pac-12 at 18.1 percent (15th among defensive linemen and edge rushers). He only posted a negative run impact percentage on 6.0 percent of his plays this season – the sixth-lowest total among defensive linemen and edge rushers in the league.
- The 21st highest graded overall player among edge rushers and defensive linemen out of 70+ players in the Pac-12 with over 300 snaps.
- His three missed tackles credited with the 12th fewest among defensive linemen and edge defenders in the Pac-12.
- Forced a fumble for the first time in his career and registered a sack against UCLA.
- Recovered a fumble in Arizona State's season-opening win over Kent State.
- Made four tackles while also logging a sack in the Sun Devils' upset victory over No. 15 California.
- Named the Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week on September 30th.
- The first true sophomore team captain in the history of Sun Devil football and has started 24 of his 25 games so far in his Sun Devil career.
- Key piece of a Sun Devil defense that allowed under 155 rushing yards in 11 of 12 games, the most since the regular season moved to 12 games.
- Has 149 career tackles in two seasons with the Sun Devils with 13.0 tackles for loss
- The seventh-highest graded linebacker in the Pac-12 on run defense, according to Pro Football Focus while his 18 total quarterback pressures were tied for eighth among the league's linebackers
- Finished with 79 tackles on the season, leading the team in the category. Added five tackles for loss, leading the team with three forced fumbles and a sack and fumble recovery
- Record at least seven tackles in eight games this season.
- Enjoyed a productive game against in the victory over Sacramento State, collecting four tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a sack while also forcing a fumble.
- Filled the stat sheet in the road matchup at UCLA, finishing with a career-high with 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, and a sack in addition to forcing and recovering a fumble.
- The first true freshman captain in the history of Sun Devil football.
- Played 93 snaps on special teams this season, while also appearing in the Sparky formation on several plays and offered the team the versatility to keep defenses off-balance.
- Carried the ball six times for 32 yards and also had a tackle on special teams.
- Was a valuable asset in the last couple games of the season on the practice field with the Sun Devil depth at quarterback limited.
- Majoring in Biomedical Engineering and is part of the prestigious Barrett, the Honors College.
- Interned at the Mayo Clinic under the guidance of Dr. Anikar Chhabra
- Named a Semifinalists for the 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
- 2018 Academic Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team selection.
- Enjoyed a productive career as a Sun Devil, catching a pass in 40 consecutive games which is good enough for the fourth-longest streak in ASU history. He is now tied for sixth in the Pac-12 for most games with a reception since 1996.
- Currently sits at 159 catches in his career, putting him in seventh place on the ASU career receptions list. Reached the 40-catch mark each of the last three seasons.
- Caught 43 passes for 406 yards and two touchdowns while serving as one of the most effective blockers at the wide receiver position in the country.
- Matched a career-high with eight catches going for 60 yards against USC, securing a touchdown.
- He caught a touchdown pass against Oregon State for the third consecutive season.
- Has forced nine missed tackles, the seventh-most among Pac-12 receivers.
- His 5.7 yards after the catch per reception are 11th-most among Pac-12 receivers.
- One of the elite workhorses in the weight room for several years now.
- Has transformed his body since arriving in Tempe, adding the necessary weight and muscle to physically hold up at the Power 5 level.
- Battled through injury to return to the depth rotation for the Sun Devil offensive line in the second half of the season.
- Made an impressive transition from high school to first-year starter at the Power 5 level.
- One of less than 20 true freshmen in the FBS to start at offensive line in the 2019 season opener and started every game on the season.
- Helped pave the way for Eno Benjamin's second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season, the first time an ASU running back has accomplished the feat in back-to-back seasons since the 1970's
- Has the 24th-best impact run block percentage among right guards in the country with a 13.0 percent positive impact – nearly three points higher than the national average. It was the eighth-highest mark among any offensive guard in the Pac-12 this season.
- The sixth-highest graded offensive guard in the Pac-12 this season, according to Pro Football Focus (68.4).
- Played the second-most snap on special teams this season, appearing on 190 total plays – the 18th most of any player in the Pac-12
- Recorded five solo tackles and while appearing in all facets of special team play (punt coverage and protect as well as kick coverage and protection).
- Led the team in key plays on special teams with 18 – the sixth most of any non-punter/kicker in the conference
- In a conference full of elite secondaries, he offered the starting offense a consistent look at what it should expect on a week-to-week basis.
- Saw time on special teams throughout the season, recording two tackles.
- A local prospect, he was a consensus Top-10 overall prospect out of Arizona and a four-star athlete by several outlets. Competed at the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Game and was a member of the 2016 Division 4A state champions at Saguaro.
- An incredibly versatile high school athlete, Johnson converted that versatility to being able to assume a number of positions across the field to help the Sun Devil defense prepare for opponent's more dynamic players.
- Threw for nearly 4,000 career yards and rushing for 1,769 over three varsity seasons in high school where he threw 51 touchdown passes in his career.
- Ran for 32 career touchdowns and also factored into the receiving game with over 400 career receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
- Recorded 45 career touchdowns between offense, defense and special teams while adding 51 passing touchdowns for 96 total touchdowns responsible.
- Coming off one of the historically great careers all-time in Southern Arizona high school football, Bourguet offered the Sun Devil defense a look at the opposing quarterbacks on a week-to-week basis in a conference schedule that featured an experienced cast of six senior quarterbacks.
- Passed for 7,612 career yards with 89 career touchdown passes at Marana High School, breaking the Arizona 5A state record for touchdown passes in the process in one of the elite careers in Southern Arizona high school history.